


Defy the Stars

by Btwixt



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst and Feels, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-21
Updated: 2018-02-25
Packaged: 2019-03-07 11:59:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 17,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13434258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Btwixt/pseuds/Btwixt
Summary: A Romeo and Juliet story. AU. Betty is the daughter of the police chief and Jughead is the son of the leader of the Serpents. Are the feelings that draw them together stronger than the forces that pull them apart?So grateful for this kind review from gay_for_rey1999 "Wow! I read this start to finish and it was incredible! Witty, sexy, angsty, suspenseful, and sweet. The whole package"





	1. One

“The key is to act like you own the place.” Cheryl said as the Uber transporting the three friends pulled up in front of the Whyte Wyrm. 

Veronica, the smoldering brunette, Cheryl, the fiery redhead and Betty, the quintessential girl next door had been friends since high school. Even though they had gone their separate ways for college, now that they had graduated they were all back in their hometown of Riverdale. While Betty and Veronica had gone to college upstate, Cheryl had attended NYU and so had visited many NYC dive bars – she was definitely the most confident as she climbed out of the car and boldly walked up the weathered wooden steps. 

Betty felt less sure of herself and what they might find inside. The Wyrm had a rough reputation and was located in Riverdale’s at one time notorious Southside. Her father and brother (Riverdale’s Police Chief and Deputy Chief respectively) had warned her many times to stay away from the sketchy establishment, but over the past few years things had improved dramatically on the Southside. Plus, the Wyrm was still the only local bar in Riverdale, so they didn’t really have any other options to celebrate a girls night out. 

Her friends looked amazing in their little dresses and received appreciative looks from a few guys passing a pitcher around one of the beat up tables as they walked through the door. Luckily there were no catcalls. Veronica had been known to “teach the Neanderthals some manners” by squishing toes under her stiletto heels, or dumping drinks onto the laps of guys who had dared to call out. Betty noticed a few of the men wearing the signature leather jackets of the local gang and she did not want the kind of trouble tonight that came from getting on the Serpents’ bad side. 

Betty hoped she looked ok in the jean skirt and off the shoulder blouse that her more stylish friends had talked her into wearing. The skirt was a little shorter than she would normally wear and Cheryl caught her tugging the bottom down her thighs self-consciously and gave her a stern look as she said,

“You look amazing B, you’re going to blow some lucky guy’s mind tonight – if he’s worthy.”

They found a table close to the bar and Veronica went to get the first round of drinks. The testosterone filled vibe, classic tunes and cheap drinks quickly put them all in a great mood and the bffs had lots of fun being silly and catching up. Betty liked Veronica’s boyfriend Archie, who was usually part of their group, but she was happy that it was just the girls tonight. 

A pool table opened up so they decided to play a game. As they approached the table Veronica decided that they needed a fourth to play two on two. She took a quick look around and spotted a dark haired guy that looked about their age standing off by himself nursing a beer and checking his phone. He was wearing jeans, a white tee with a flannel shirt tied around his waist and was giving off a strong vibe that he would prefer to be left alone. 

“Hey, Holden Caufield!” Veronica shouted in his direction. He looked up, startled, pushing his dark locks out of his eyes with his hand. “Can you play pool?” 

He looked at her as if she was insane, but nodded his head yes. 

“Great! Can you help us out? My friend Betty here needs a partner.” She pouted a bit and said suggestively, “We’ll buy you a beer.”

His eyes scanned the three girls standing around the pool table, lingering for a brief moment when he looked at Betty. He took a final swig of his beer, grabbed a cue and joined them. They all introduced themselves and when he said his name was ‘Jughead’ Cheryl raised her perfectly shaped eyebrows but held back the snide comment that Betty knew was on the tip of her tongue. 

They started to play and Betty furtively admired his effortless control as the cue slid gracefully across his long fingers. His height and lanky limbs made him well suited for reaching across the table for some tricky shots and the girls caught Betty noticing his tight abs peeking out under his tee as he leaned over. He was an excellent, but serious player and kept his focus tightly on the game so they quickly beat the girls two games in a row. Veronica looked perturbed, but slyly shot Betty a quick wink and she grabbed Cheryl and pulled her over to the small dance floor in front of the stage leaving Betty and Jughead alone. 

“I’m glad you were on my team Jughead, you’re a great player.” He flashed a crooked grin and pretended to tip an imaginary hat to acknowledge her compliment. “You’ve probably made a lifelong enemy of Veronica” she continued, “that girl hates to lose at anything.” 

“Oh shit, was I supposed to let her win?” he asked with mock concern. “Maybe she should pick her competitors a little more carefully – like maybe that guy, or that one.” He pointed to one man, who appeared to be passed out on the table, and then another who had just clumsily tripped over his own chair and his large beer belly was hampering his attempts to pick himself up off the floor. She giggled, relieved that he seemed to have a sense of humour after all. 

“C’mon, we promised you a beer didn’t we?” she gestured for him to follow her to the bar. 

\--------------

Jughead couldn't believe that the prettiest girl in the bar was offering to buy him a beer. She did not seem to know how beautiful she was and luckily also seemed oblivious to her effect on him. The sight of her legs as she bent over the pool table was right out of one of his teenage fantasies – he had forced himself to keep his eyes on the table - otherwise he’s sure that his tongue would have been hanging out of his mouth. 

He hadn’t seen her around before so he didn’t think she and her friends were locals, not Southsiders for sure. They mentioned college when they were playing so he assumed that they are here visiting from one of the schools in the next town. She ordered a beer for him and a vodka for herself, but when she went to pay he shot the bartender a look and shook his head.

“What kind of a gentleman lets a lady buy the first drink?”

“I didn’t realize we were in a Victorian British tavern, but thank you.” She smiled as she raises her glass to clink against his. “Cheers to you kind sir.” 

Even though it was loud they fell easily into conversation - the ambient volume meant she had to lean in close to talk. He loved the smell of her shampoo? perfume? Jesus what was that? Her scent was driving him crazy. 

An oblivious woman on her way to the bar bumped Betty off balance and she reached out to grab his arm to steady herself as she fell toward him. When she regained her balance they were so close that their bodies were just a breath from being completely pressed against each other. He didn’t mind and she didn’t move back. She removed her hand from his arm and slid it into the pocket of her skirt and he felt the loss of the heat from her touch. For a moment the din of the crowded bar faded away and he only saw her expressive green eyes, pink lips and wisps of soft blond hair falling across her face. 

They continued to talk, lost in their own world, until the sound of glass breaking behind them made her look away as if released from a spell. Betty scanned the dance floor and realized that she couldn’t see her friends anywhere. 

“Jughead I need to check on my girls. With Veronica’s mouth and Cheryl’s attitude, they tend to get into trouble if they are on their own for too long.”

“Why don’t you check the washroom while I grab a few more drinks and meet you back here in a few minutes?” he hoped he did not look too anxious as he waited for her reply.

As she nodded ok and smiled an unusual feeling of happiness and anticipation washed over him. 

“See you soon.” he said meaningfully and placed his hand on her hip. Her lips parted with a little gasp as his thumb found a bit of bare skin between the bottom of her blouse and her skirt. Blushing adorably, she turned to go. He felt like he did not want to let her out of his sight, for fear that this dream that the Fates had conjured up for tonight would disappear. Frankly, they owed him this for all the shitty things that had happened to him in the past, he thought cynically. 

He had to kiss her soon. He had spent many nights at the Wyrm and nothing like this, nothing like her, had ever happened to him. He was picturing her lips on his, imagining what they would taste like. He could almost feel her soft blond hair between his fingers as he wrapped his hands in it, bringing her closer. He found an open spot at the bar and was waiting for the bartender when he noticed he was standing next to a man everyone called Viper who was leaning both elbows on the bar wearing the recognizable leather jacket with the green snake on the back. 

“What are you working on tonight Jughead?” Viper asked in his gravelly voice.

“What do you mean?” He looked back towards the bartender hoping to catch his eye, not really paying attention to Viper’s typically crazy ramblings. 

“Are you working on some payback with the Chief’s daughter? That would be a great play Jug to be able to say to the chief - oh by the way chief, I know that you locked up my dad on some bullshit charges but I fucked your daughter. I’m sure her sweet tight pussy hasn’t been the same since I filled it with my Serpent cum. Hahahahaha” 

He slapped Jughead on the back and continued his cruel laugh, not noticing that Jug had stopped breathing. A look of horror filled his eyes as the truth sunk in. 

This amazing girl was anathema to him. She was the daughter of his worst enemy, a member of the family of cops who had relentlessly pursued both him and his father for years, eventually catching FP on a technicality. They sent him to jail for 12 years and left Jughead without a family and a home for most of his adolescence. 

Fuck!

He clenched his fists and afraid of what he might do, pushed his way through the crowd and headed to the back door, hoping the night air would help him cool off. 

\-----------

Betty made her way to the washroom to look for the girls but stopped for a minute in the hallway outside to catch her breath. Remembering the electricity of his thumb on her bare skin, she imagined how would it feel to have his hands all over her. She thought about how his solid bicep felt under her hand and she pictured her hands holding onto those strong arms as he moved above her. The blush on her cheeks spread across her whole face and she squeezed her thighs together to try to dull the ache that was building there. 

She opened the washroom door and was relieved to find Veronica and Cheryl inside. 

“You’re looking a little flushed Betty, is the bar too hot? Veronica said teasingly. “Or maybe someone you’ve been talking to is a little too hot? 

Betty turned yet another shade of pink but couldn’t deny that she was having a great time with the dark haired pool player. 

“Have fun B, lord knows you deserve to have a little F-U-N.” 

Once her friends had unanimously given their approval they headed back to the bar. Betty stayed behind to check her hair and apply a little tinted lip balm. 

She was having a final look in the mirror when a woman dressed in black with heavy makeup approached her and stepped a little too close into her personal space. At first Betty attributed it to drunkenness but soon realized that the woman was attempting to intimidate her. 

“Do you know who you are talking to, you little skank?” 

“What, sorry, what? Betty stuttered, shocked at the aggressive words. 

“If I were you, I would back off from Jughead Jones, he’s practically the leader of the Serpents and doesn’t have time for an uptight Northside bitch like you.”

Jones? Serpents? Her father and brother used to talk about a gang leader named Jones that they had brought down a few years ago– a dangerous man that they wanted to “exterminate”. This gorgeous funny guy was his son? 

The butterflies in her stomach died instantly and were replaced with a sinking feeling of disappointment. 

Fuck! 

She finally met someone amazing, who seemed interested in her and he turned out to be the one guy in town that she could never date, could never even be seen with. 

It was too much to deal with in the crowded noisy space so she quickly exited the bathroom and found the girls polishing off a couple of shots at the bar. 

“We have to go – we have to go now!”

“Ok, ok what’s going on B?” Veronica asked.

“I just got threatened in the ladies room and I need to get away from Jughead now!” The look her face told them she was dead serious. She hustled her tipsy friends to the front door saying, “I’ll explain it all later.” 

They called an Uber and just as it pulled up she saw him walking around from the back of the building. They made eye contact and she shivered – the warmth and sparkle was gone from his eyes, replaced with a cold dead stare.


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thus with a kiss I die.

The diner was neutral territory in Riverdale. Pop’s hospitality (and amazing milkshakes) made it a place where everyone from all parts of town felt welcome and comfortable. The girls met there on Friday night to try to cheer Betty up a bit. She had shared what she had learned about Jughead's identity with Cheryl and Veronica and they knew how disappointed she was with the way last weekend’s outing had ended. 

She had confirmed her vague memories about Jughead’s dad with her brother Charles over a family dinner this week at her mom’s. Betty’s parents had been divorced for years, so it was just the three of them who shared a meal at her mom’s condo.

Betty made up a crazy-ass lie so that it wouldn’t arouse any suspicion about why she might suddenly be interested in the Jones’s.

“I heard the strangest thing this week. Apparently there were some NPR podcast producers here poking around Riverdale hoping to talk to people about the Southside Serpents. I wonder if they are working on another Serial series about a wrongly convicted inmate?” Her brother immediately took the bait. 

“They had better not be looking into the lowest form of scum known as FP Jones. It was the proudest day of my career when we managed to get him locked up. FP was responsible for leading the Serpents in most of the criminal activity in Riverdale. I just wish that we had been able to make something stick with the son – his hands were just as dirty. One day soon Dad and I will exterminate the Serpents once and for all.” 

Now, several days later, as she sat in Pop’s with her friends she still couldn’t reconcile this information with the guy she had met at the Wyrm. He seemed so gentle and considerate and she caught herself smiling when remembered some of the funny things he had said. She was feeling a twinge of regret about running out of the bar so fast on Saturday. Maybe she should have given him a chance to tell her his story, but past insecurities raised doubt in her mind that he would have wanted to talk to her ever again. And even deeper insecurities raised the possibility that the attention he was giving her was just part of his plan to use her in some way her to get to her family. 

They had already paid their bill but the girls lingered over half eaten desserts as the diner slowly cleared out from the dinner rush. Betty was facing the door and she could see a large group getting up from a table at the front of the restaurant revealing the occupants of a table near the back that they had not noticed when they came in – Jughead and two other guys wearing black leather jackets. Betty froze as they made eye contact then she quickly looked away. Cheryl and Veronica, sitting across from her, were sliding out of the booth and putting their coats. Suddenly feeling reckless, Betty decided that she was going to stay put. 

Pulling her laptop from her bag, she said “I have some research to do so I’m going to hang out here for a bit longer”. The girls said goodnight and headed out the door, the little bell ringing overhead as they exited. 

She was just logging into Pop’s wifi when she felt him standing at the end of her table. She heard the bell ring again, and looked up to see his friends leaving. 

“Hi. Do you mind if I sit for a minute?” 

She gestured to the now empty booth in front of her, inviting him to sit, as she closed her laptop with a click. 

\------

She looked stunning, even more beautiful than the night they had met. She seemed much more comfortable in her own skin wearing a little blue cardigan with her hair up in a ponytail, her face seems to glow from within, her eyes bright with surprise. 

He was not sure what there to say so he began to speak hesitantly. “It’s nice to see you again.”

“Is it?” she said cautiously. 

“I thought you would hate me.”  
“I thought you would be afraid of me.” They said at the same time. 

They both laughed nervously and it broke the tension. Their effortless rapport from Saturday returned almost instantly. 

“So this is kind of a crazy situation isn’t it? he said shaking his head. “There’s probably no Google search results for this.” He moves his fingers in the air as if he is typing on an imaginary keyboard “What to do if the guy who bought you a drink may be a criminal kingpin.” 

She pretended to talk into her phone – “Siri, The girl that I met at the bar is the daughter of my sworn enemy, should I slide into her DMs anyway?” 

They were both laughing so hard at this point that Pop and the waitress both looked over and shook their heads. When they stopped laughing he was suddenly serious and said, 

“I hope you don’t think that I was playing you. I had no idea who you were when I agreed to play pool with you.” She smiled, the relief showing on her face. 

He said in his best Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca voice ‘Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.” 

She smiled sadly. “We’ll always have the Wyrm.” 

He smiled back at her, his blue eyes shining with so much warmth that her stomach did a flip. She chose to ignore it and carried on the conversation. 

“Casablanca is my favorite movie you know…” she went on to explain how it inspired her to study French in school and her current dream of becoming a French teacher. He has never met anyone who speaks French - he is impressed. 

They talked about Riverdale and how it has changed since they were in high school, turns out they were in the same year, but at different schools on different sides of town. When he mentioned that he loves to write they got a little silly imagining the headlines of the articles he would have pitched her if he wrote for the school paper where she was editor. “Southside loner celebrates third day of not being thrown into locker” or “New research shows Riverdale Football team member penis size is smallest in the country.” 

“Oh, is that last one a photo essay? she said with a raised eyebrow and which made him laugh. She loved the sound of his laugh, it was soft and low as if it was not a sound that he was comfortable making. 

“I’d love to read something that you wrote sometime.”

“I’d like that, I’ve never really had anyone to share my writing with.” he said and then quickly looked down.

She could tell he had said more than he meant to so she quickly changed the subject to ease his discomfort. “How come I’ve never seen you in Pop’s before? Did you never come here in high school?” 

He paused for a moment drawing circles on the table in front of him with a finger before replying, “I never had any money to come here, things were always tight and my home life was pretty unpredictable.” She looked at him and nodded with understanding, not pity or sadness and he felt grateful - he’d had enough of those looks from teachers and social workers over the years. 

“After my parents split up, I hated being at home.” she shared. “I spent so much time here that Pop even let me pick up some shifts, but it turns out that I am a terrible waitress. Did you have a space like that, to get away and escape?” she asked. 

He told her about his job at the drive in that gave him both a roof over his head and something to do to keep him out of trouble for many years. 

“Oh I loved going to the Twillight!” she fondly remembered. “Just think, maybe there were nights when was there with my friends and you were right behind us in the projection booth.”

“Yeah, maybe I was there at the back watching some jock make his move on you.” The thought made him feel a little jealous of the imaginary high schooler - he would have wanted to trade spots with him in an instant. 

“Oh, no, there wasn’t much of that. Being the Police Chief’s daughter is a total game killer in this town. Not many guys had the nerve to ask me out, or make a move. It severely limits a girl’s options. I guess it still does.” she added quietly. 

They talked and laughed, completely losing track of time. They talked about books and movies and first cars and first pets, carefully avoiding the topic of either of their families. The noise level rose in the cozy diner as the late night crowd stared to spill in - mostly rowdy kids on their way home from an away football game in the neighbouring town. 

Betty glanced at the time on her phone. “I should probably head home.”

“Can I walk you? It’s a bit late for you to be out alone.” She was pleased that he did not seem to want the evening to end quite yet either. 

They walked towards her mom’s condo in comfortable silence. He realized he was wishing that they were on a real date, so that he could be looking forward to kissing her goodnight. 

If it was a real date maybe he would have taken her hand and led her into the park they were walking past to kiss her incredible pink lips while she sat on the swing that he could hear squeaking as it moved gently in the wind. Or maybe he wouldn’t have been able to wait for the walk home, maybe he would have dragged her into the washroom at the diner, locked them in a stall and ravaged her mouth with his lips and tongue, unable to get enough, hearing her moan as he reached under her sweater to… 

“Jughead, did you hear what I said?” she asked. 

“Mmm, sorry no”, he said guiltily. 

“I said I’m so glad that we talked tonight. I know it’s never going to be easy for us” (Us - that little word filled him with visions, and hope.) “but I want us to be friends. Hmmm, maybe even that’s too complicated. Friendly, I always want us to be friendly”.

“Sure, we can be friendly”, he said quietly. 

She could see her mother’s three story building just ahead. 

“Well this is me. Thanks again for the escort home Jughead Jones.” She turned to face him and impulsively pulled him close for a hug. He loved the feel of her soft warmth against his solid chest and he breathed in the smell that was uniquely her. 

As she pulled away her mouth grazed his cheek, just next to his ear and the feeling of his rough skin against her lips made her let out a tiny gasp. It was his undoing, as was the dark look in her eyes as their faces aligned. His hands moved from her back to the sides of her face as he lowered his mouth down onto hers. Her lips were softer than he could have imagined and he relished the feel, but soon it wasn’t nearly enough. He wanted to taste her and as if by magic her lips parted and he slipped his tongue into her mouth. He heard a small moan and he moved one hand to the back of her hair and tilted her head slightly to allow deeper access. Their lips and tongues explored and tasted until he could hardly breathe. He caressed the side of her cheek with his thumb and then moved his mouth to kiss her elegant neck. He could hear her heavy breathing, matching his own as he huskily whispered, 

“God Betty, I have wanted to do that since the moment we met.”

She suddenly pulled away, her eyes wide, holding her fingers gently over her swollen lips. 

“I have to go”, she whispered. He couldn’t do anything but watch her as she turned and ran towards the lit entranceway of the apartment building.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading and for the kudos and comments. As a long time reader, first time poster, it is really nerve wracking to actually hit post, especially when there are so many other amazing writers on this site. If you've been lurking for a long time - I highly suggest giving writing a try! x, B


	3. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> O teach me how I should forget to think. 
> 
> Things are heating up. If you are here for the smut and the angst – this chapter is here for you.

Betty spent the majority of the next day trying to keep busy to forget about the kiss, but her mind refused to cooperate. She tried to focus on her yoga poses or getting through her list of errands but she would repeatedly find herself staring into space, fingertips gently touching her mouth, remembering the feeling of Jughead’s lips and the fiery explosion when their bodies connected. 

It wasn’t her first kiss, but it was the first that felt the way she had always imagined it should. Betty was so overprotected by her Police Chief father when she was growing up that it was hard for her to make friends, never mind go out on dates. She was expected to dress, act and behave beyond reproach at all times. 

She was expressly forbidden from going to any parties where there might be underage drinking or drug use (in other words, all of them) so she spent many nights home alone while the rest of her classmates experimented with substances and experienced ‘Seven Minutes in Heaven’. 

There was an incident in sophomore year when Betty snuck out of the house to a party hosted by a boy she had a huge crush on. When her father found out the next day that she had been there (she figured one of the seniors must have told her brother, who then snitched to their dad) the full wrath of Riverdale’s police department rained down on Jake and his family. Police showed up at his house, informed his parents about the party and gave them a hefty fine. Officers even searched Jake’s locker in front of the whole school. Betty was humiliated and Jake never spoke to her again. After that, her classmates made sure that Betty knew she was not welcome at any other parties and Betty became a pariah, untouchable, and frankly no one other than her small wonderful group of friends bothered to try to see beyond the prim and perfect reputation. 

Going away to college had been a huge relief and she had enjoyed her first taste of freedom. But years of being an outsider had made her so used to keeping to herself that she unintentionally gave off an icy vibe. The guys she attracted tended to be more cerebral than physical – Veronica had called them Peter the Great Big Bore and Snoozy Sam. They had offered companionship, a feeling of normalcy and some by-the-book sex but both relationships had fizzled after a few months. 

Being with Jughead was like experiencing a whole rainbow of colour after only seeing black and white. 

So when Cheryl and their friend Kevin invited her to the drive-in that night she happily welcomed the distraction from her thoughts. She hadn’t filled them in yet about seeing Jughead at Pop’s last night or the kiss. For reasons she hadn’t quite figured out yet she wanted to keep their evening together private – a secret between her and Jughead.

Cheryl parked her car at the Twilight and the three friends were slowly walking towards the concession stand for popcorn when they saw a group of gang members hanging out with their bikes near the back of the lot. 

Always on the lookout for drama Cheryl said, “I wonder if your tragic sexy Romeo from the Wyrm is here?” 

Never one to miss out on gossip Kevin piped in, “Whaaaat? Tragic sexy Romeo? Who are you talking about?” 

Cheryl was surveying the cluster of leather-clad bikers as Betty’s heart started beating faster with mild panic. 

“Oh yesssss, I think I see him. And he’s headed this way!” She turned to Betty “Quick B do you want me on defense or offence here?” This was their secret code from high school that meant, ‘do you want me to help you get rid of this guy or help you score?’ 

“Offence,” Cheryl looked at Betty, wide-eyed with surprised by her answer “Ok maybe a time out. Leave me. I’ll be fine guys. I can handle this.” 

Cheryl gave her finger a little scolding wave in front of Betty’s face and said “Be careful.” 

As they walked away, Kevin looked at Betty pointedly, mouthing the words “Details, I want details.” 

She was alone when Jughead approached her. He looked around cautiously, glancing over her shoulder to see who might be watching them. 

He looked amazing in his signature leather jacket. His dark wavy hair was falling over his face as usual and he pushed it back with one hand nervously as he said hello. 

“Listen, I’m sorry about how the other night ended.” He shoved his hands in pockets, looking a bit like a kid confessing to stealing a candy. “We decided we would be friends and then I end up kissing you.” 

“Please don’t apologize.” her eyes darted down to the lips that she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about. There was a steady stream of movie patrons heading to the concession stand so they were getting jostled as noisy groups of teens walked past them. “Come with me for a minute to talk?”

He nodded and she lead him back to Cheryl’s car, a bright red Audi parked in a less busy section of the lot and opened the back door. She got in, slid over on the leather seat and looked back up at him. 

“We can talk in here until they get back.” He climbed in, shut the door and suddenly they found themselves alone in the quiet, intimate space of the back seat. Maybe a little too intimate, she realized too late as her knees touched his thigh as they turned to each other in the cramped space. Her heart started beating a little faster as she realized what she wanted to say. 

“Please don’t apologize for the kiss. It was perfect. It was a perfect kiss.” She glanced up at him shyly to see his shocked expression. 

It took a moment but he finally found his voice. “You ran away. I was sure that I crossed the line.”

Figuring she had nothing to lose by being honest she confessed, “I ran because I wanted more, and I know we shouldn’t.” He was still looking down at her incredulously. They were so close that she could feel his breath tickling her cheek; breath that she noticed had just gotten shallower and faster. 

A small smile crossed his face, “Fuck that. What’s the point of having a bad reputation if I don’t do things that I shouldn’t?” He lifted his hands to run his fingers into her hair, closed his eyes and lowered his mouth to gently possess hers – the fire from last night was still there but now he was even more confident, demanding and soon she was completely breathless. 

“Hang on a sec.” she reluctantly pushed away from his gorgeous mouth and reached for her phone to send a text to Cheryl. 

Can you hang back for 10 minutes? I’m in the car. 

She added one word to call in a long overdue favour. 

Offence. 

She waited a few seconds to make sure the message was delivered then let the phone slide from her fingers onto the floor as she reached for him. 

“We’ve got 10 minutes.” 

Not wanting to waste a single second he enthusiastically kissed her, relishing in the taste and feel of her. He loved her little moans and gasps as he explored her neck and shoulders with his fingers wrapped in her silky hair to hold her as close as possible. 

He needed to make her completely his in this stolen moment of time. 

One of his knees gently pressed against her thigh, spreading her legs a little wider and he slid his rough fingers up the inside of her thigh under her skirt. Glancing at her to make sure he had not gone too far he saw something he would never forget. She was looking at him with total trust, eyes dark, she bit her lip a little and nodded her head. 

His hand traced even higher up the soft skin of her inner thigh and he felt her shiver. He reached the barrier of her lacy underwear. She moved across his lap so that she could spread her legs even wider to give him easier access and he pushed her underwear aside. 

It felt like the whole world stopped as he gently parted her wet lips and rubbed his fingers over her, quickly finding the most sensitive area. She gasped and closed her eyes, loving the feeling as his fingers moved even more quickly intensifying the sensations spreading all over her body. 

She moaned, burying her hand in his hair, holding on tightly as he slid two fingers deep inside her. 

“Mmmm God that feels so good Jughead.” she whimpered before her mouth crashed into his again. 

Hearing his name on her lips made him lose the last bit of his control - he wanted to feel her completely fall apart around him. Her head nodded back as she rode his fingers closer to release. 

“Look at me Betts.” He wanted to see her beautiful face as he made her lose control. She pulled her head up and looked at him, her cheeks flushed, her eyes dark and her mouth parted. 

His fingers curled and hit another sensitive area; she cried out again. He could barely breathe - she was the hottest thing he had ever seen and when he picked up the pace a bit he felt her walls move around him and felt her body shudder as she let out a tiny squeal and a deep sigh. 

He could tell she was trying to be quiet since they were practically in public and he wondered what sounds she would make when they had some privacy and he had time to do all the things that he wanted to do to her beautiful body. 

He realized that they had just a few minutes left alone together so he slowly removed his hand from between her legs and they reluctantly moved apart and tried to catch their breath as she straightened her clothes and smoothed down her skirt. 

“Will you meet me tomorrow at Pops? he asked. 

She nodded slowly, still in a daze from what he had just done. He smiled and kissed her swollen lips softly and gently. An unexpected thought drifted through his mind - he could be happy kissing her forever. 

Over her shoulder, he saw the lights from the approaching police cars just seconds before they heard the sirens. The high pitched wail broke her out of her trance, she turned toward the sound, and also spotted her friends on their way back to the car. 

“I have to go. 7 o’clock tomorrow night ok?” He jumped out of the car adjusting the front of his jeans and smiled letting a moment of happiness wash over him. 

The feeling didn’t last for long. 

As he returned to the area where the bikes were lined up he could see four uniformed police officers talking to the gang. 

One of them was speaking loudly. “We’ve received noise complaints from the decent citizens of this town who are trying to enjoy the movie tonight so we’re going to ask you to leave.” 

Jughead approached the tall blonde cop who was doing the talking - he suddenly realized it was Betty’s brother Charles. 

“Hey, we’ll keep it down ok?” he said in what he hoped sounded like a friendly tone even though his teeth were clenched in frustration. 

Charles recognized him and sneered his reply. “I don’t think so Jones, unless you can produce tickets, you are trespassing and you and your piece of shit friends will be asked to leave immediately.”

Jughead twisted his mouth into a sardonic smile and shook his head unable to hide his contempt for the ridiculous situation. He took a step towards the officer and noticed for the first time the familiar green eyes, but this pair was filled with pure hate. 

“You know they don’t even give out tickets here officer, this is bullshit.” 

Officer Cooper reacted swiftly and pressed Jughead up against the squad car with his hands pinned behind his back. Jug shot Mustang a look and nodded his head towards the exit to say, ‘you guys get the fuck out of here, I’ll deal with this.’ 

For the second time that night he found himself sitting in the backseat of a car. He knew the drill - they’d hold him for a while, make some threats, and then release him with a warning. 

This situation felt much more familiar to him – his life was all about harassment and judgment, not soft words and passionate kisses. Despite his plans to go legit – to open his own business and steer the Serpents away from criminal activities, he would always be FP’s son and a worthless fuckup to most people in this town. 

As he sat there alone in the cramped backseat, the excitement of seeing Betty earlier soured to anger. He was angry that they were from totally different worlds, that once again, some happiness was just within his reach but would be denied to him. 

Two identical pairs of green eyes flashed before him – hers, half closed, moaning with pleasure on top of him and his, filled with contempt and hatred. He tried to picture them all sitting down for a happy family dinner together. Hell, he couldn’t even picture them in the same room together without threats and insults being thrown around and Betty would be caught in the middle. And she wouldn’t be in the middle for long - why would Betty ever choose him? His dad, his mom, his sister, various foster families - no one had ever stuck by him when things got rough. 

“Fuck fuck, fuck! I’ve got to put a stop to this pointless infatuation.” he muttered to himself, punching the seat in front of him and staring out of the car window into the dark night, with a steely look of determination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Juggie is spiraling. What will happen when they meet? 
> 
> Thanks so much for reading and for kudos and comments. They are life.


	4. Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Parting is such sweet sorrow." 
> 
> It’s a short chapter but the angst-o-meter is set to max.

Sunday night arrived and Jughead slid wearily into a booth in the back corner at Pops shortly before 7. He was dreading what he had to say to Betty tonight but he had to protect himself and as usual he was the only one he could count on to do that. 

She knew something was off right away. He didn’t smile when she sat down – there was no warmth in his terse hello. He glanced over her face, taking in her loose wavy hair and her green blouse that she carefully chose because she knew it brought out the green in her eyes, but there was no reaction, just a slight widening of his eyes, so quick that she convinced herself that she probably imagined it. A sinking feeling that she knew all too well washed over her. She could barely look up from the table as he started to talk. 

“Betty we’re kidding ourselves if we think this is going anywhere. Let’s be honest, the attraction here is that it’s a cheap thrill for you to dabble in the Southside and a perfect little girl-next-door fantasy for me - but I don’t have time for fantasies. I live in the harsh reality of real life every single day. So like I said the other night, I’m sorry that I kissed you. There is nothing here,” he said gesturing back and forth between the two of them with his hand. “I just want to make that totally clear.” 

“I get it.” she said quietly, his total rejection filling her eyes with tears that she fought back with every bit of strength she could muster. She couldn’t believe that he was yet another person in Riverdale who couldn’t be bothered to see who she really was. She took a deep breath, needing to get through the next few sentences with her pride intact. She tried to shrug nonchalantly. “I’m leaving town in a few days anyway, so it’s probably for the best.” 

“Leaving town?” 

“Yeah,” she explained, “I’m leaving for Paris this week for a year to finish my Masters degree in French.” 

This news took him by surprise and hot licks of anger started pumping through his veins. He jumped up from the booth. His eyes looked wild and hurt, so different from the cold, distant way they looked when she arrived. 

“Perfect” he said coldly, “Fucking perfect. You go off and lead your life and I’ll do the same.” He walked away, leaving her tear-filled eyes wide with bewilderment and disappointment. 

He slammed Pop’s door, overcome with bitterness at how he could never, ever catch a break. The fact that she was leaving confirmed for him that she was just looking for a little meaningless distraction before jetting off to continue on with her picture perfect life. The idea that she could care for someone like him seemed so ridiculous that he actually snorted out a short burst of sarcastic laughter. 

Although his purpose tonight was to make sure to never see her again, the finality of her leaving town hit him hard. There would be no green eyes looking at him like a real person, not a charity case, or a criminal, no softly parted lips gasping against his, no soft skin smelling of vanilla. She would be thousands of miles away from him. ‘Even if she wasn’t an ocean away, she’d still be out of reach,’ he reminded himself. 

He stopped near his bike in the parking lot and held his head in his hands. He felt completely defeated, nihilistic and desperately needed to do something violent and stupid to make these oh-so-familiar feelings of disappointment go away. The phone in his pocket rang; he recognized the number and quickly answered the call. 

“Yeah. How many guys? Yeah, I can be there tonight no problem – I’ll be there in 10.” 

He hopped on his bike and ripped out of the parking lot, heading south.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chip on his shoulder and her insecurities have really messed things up haven’t they? Will she leave town without seeing him one more time? 
> 
> Next chapter is almost ready - back in a minute.


	5. Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Give me my sin again  
> -or-   
> The old Betty can’t come to the phone right now

Luckily for Betty, the next few days flew by in a whirlwind of activity that didn’t leave much time for her to wallow in her disappointment. There were lots of travel details to confirm and packing to do, plus everyone was dropping by to wish her Bon Voyage. 

When Cheryl and Kevin came over they were full of questions for her about her date with Jughead. She didn’t say much, just that it had been short and that things hadn’t worked out. They tried to press her for more details on how she was feeling, but she had closed that part of herself off. They knew that this was her way of dealing with disappointment. She would put on a big smile, pretend that nothing was bothering her and do some baking. 

“Hey, do you guys want some cookies?” Betty asked offering a plate of freshly baked treats. Cheryl and Kevin looked at each other knowingly. 

“Fuck that guy B.” Kevin said, putting his arm around Betty. “Sure he was cute as hell and but if he can’t appreciate the fine woman that you are, he clearly has fallen off that motorcycle of his and injured his head.”

“I’m going to miss you guys so much.” She said sadly leaning into Kevin’s shoulder. “What will I do without you?” 

“Some French guys, hopefully.” Cheryl said with raised eyebrows. 

After her friends left she sat alone in her room in her mom’s condo looking at the multiple suitcases she had packed and the boxes that she would ship over to Paris later. In the quiet stillness there was no more hiding from her thoughts. A certain pair of wild blue eyes were haunting her and her heart was aching. 

The hurt that she was feeling at his rejection desperately made her want to be someone else, anyone else other than the over-protected daughter of the town’s biggest bully who sat home alone while everyone else was having fun. 

Maybe she would act like someone else for once. 

Her heart beating faster, she hatched a plan. She was done with black and white – she wanted the whole damn rainbow. 

_______

She went to the police station late that afternoon when she knew that her brother would be mid-shift and out on patrol. And she counted on her father being in a meeting. He was always in a meeting. When she walked into the reception area at the station she was greeted warmly by the staff who recognized her. 

“Hi Martin.” she said to the uniformed officer at the front desk “I came to say good bye Hal and Charles. Are they around?” 

“The Chief is in a meeting and Charles is out for another half hour or so.” He replied. 

“Do you mind if I wait in Charles’s office?” 

“Sure thing Betty!” He swung open a low gate and let her into the hallway that lead to the offices. 

She sat at her brother’s computer and logged into the database, luckily the IT security system was still pretty minimal so within a minute she had the last known address for Jughead Jones. Just as she slipped the piece of paper with the address in her pocket, the office door opened and the imposing figure of her father appeared. His large 6’3” frame filled the doorway and his booming voice greeted her formally. 

“Hello Elizabeth.” 

“Hi Dad.” Her body reacted reflexively and she sat up straighter in the chair. “I came by to say goodbye before I head out tomorrow.”

“I don’t know why you feel that you have to travel overseas with everything that is going on in the world. You’d be much safer here.” 

“Dad, I…” but he continued to talk over her. 

“You get this independent streak from your mother. I don’t want you doing anything risky over there Elizabeth. Keep focused on your studies and I’ll expect you to check in with your brother and I every week.”

“Yes sir.”

His lecture over, he turned to leave “Be safe and make me proud.” 

“Bye Dad.” She exhaled as he closed the door. She touched the piece of paper in her pocket and smiled – her year of freedom from his oppressive expectations would start tonight. 

_________

Several hours later she pulled up outside Jughead’s trailer. She stepped across the messy front lawn and climbed up the well worn steps to the door. 

She talked her insecurities away with an internal monologue ‘If he turns me away at least there is no chance of bumping into him for a year. The knowledge that I went after what I really want for once will surely save me from dying of embarrassment. And since he obviously does not have any feelings for me, then I don’t have to feel guilty about wanting a meaningless hook up.”

She took a huge deep breath and knocked on his door. A minute went by when she seriously considered running away, but just as she decided she was going to bolt he opened the door. 

She let her outfit do the talking for her and he looked her up and down as if he couldn’t believe she was real. She was wearing a soft pastel blouse with just one button done up and tied at the waist to exposed her belly button and midriff and a short white lace skirt that showed off her long toned legs. 

He didn’t say anything but opened the door for her to enter the trailer. She stepped in then closed the door behind her and leaned back against it as if she was afraid to go any further. He stood facing her with his arms crossed in front of his chest. 

“What the hell are you doing here Betty?” 

“I know you don’t want anything to do with me, but I think there are a few parts of you that are interested,” she looked down below his waist suggestively, “What was it you said we both want?” – she threw his words back at him – “a Southside thrill for me and a perfect little girl-next-door fantasy for you.” Then quietly she added, “I’m leaving tomorrow. We have nothing to lose Jughead.”

He was shocked by the sudden appearance of so much beauty in his shabby home, even more shocked by her words. He was still feeling angry and stupid. The fight the other night with the Goulies had done nothing to take the edge off his emotions. 

He stood a few feet away, observing her standing against the door, noticing how low cut her blouse was - he could almost see the curve of her breast at the bottom of the deep v rising and falling as her quick short breaths betrayed her nervousness. 

“You want this?” he asked crudely gesturing towards his cock. “Show me. Show me what you’ve got for me.” 

She looked into his dark eyes and swallowed nervously. She reached down and undid the knot at the bottom of the shirt, it fell down covering most of the short skirt. She undid the single button and carefully let the shirt fall over her shoulders and to the floor. She wasn’t wearing a bra and he sucked in a sharp breath when he looked at her breasts, smooth, pink tipped and full, his fingers were aching to touch them but he didn’t move. 

Her hands went to the waistband of the skirt and with a smooth motion pulled it down over her knees and gracefully stepped out of it. She was not wearing underwear either so she was now standing completely naked in front of him. He wanted to touch her so badly but fought to maintain control. 

“Are you ready for me? I want you to touch yourself so that you are wet and ready for me.” 

She did as he asked and boldly not looking away from him slid her right hand over hipbones and into her aching core. She was already soaking wet but the combination of him standing there completely dressed with her naked and vulnerable under his control was driving her wild with need. Her left hand reached up to cup her breast and her fingers played and squeezed her nipple as he looked at her like he was about to burst into flames. He took one predatory step toward her and started to undo the belt on his pants. 

“Are you ready?” he growled. “I’m not going to force you but it’s going to be rough so you have to be absolutely sure that you want this.” 

His words combined with the sight of him pulling his hard cock out of his pants almost brought her to the edge without even needing his touch. She felt her internal muscles contract and a wave of pleasure washed over her body. 

“Yes, I’m sure. I want you Jughead.” With her words, he turned her around roughly and bent her over, keeping his hands on her waist as her hands held onto the back of the couch. He spread her legs apart with his feet, then finding her dripping entrance thrust into her with the full force of his muscular thighs. She felt every inch of him filling her and screamed out, the pleasure too much to keep inside. 

“This is what you want isn’t it?”

“Yes”, she cried, “yes.” 

“Do you want it harder?” 

“Yes”, she cried again “please”, almost unable to bear the pleasure as he somehow moved deeper inside her and began to move faster and faster. He grunted with the effort of his exertion, feeling her tight walls pulling him deeper with every thrust, feeling that she was close to release. She screamed out again as she came hard, her whole body shuddering. He released too and it was over. No kisses, no touches, no pretty words. 

He tuned her around and even though her cheeks were flushed and she was still breathing heavy, he could see the look of confusion on her face. He pulled his jeans back over his hips and pushed her gently back up against the door, taking her face in his hands. 

“Did I hurt you?” he asked softly. 

She shook her head and whispered, “no.” but he could see a few tears gathering in her eyes and she was trembling a bit. 

“Are you sure you are ok babe? Please let me know if I was too rough with you.” 

She shook her head again and her hair fell across her face, he brushed it away gently and waited for her to say more. 

“No, that was just pretty, um intense. I’ve never really done anything like that before.” 

“Me neither.” he replied and kissed her deeply and urgently, wanting to remove any doubt from her mind about how she affected him. Yes, goddamnit, he finally admitted to himself, he wanted her, all of her and he would spend the rest of the night, or however many hours they had left together, exploring every inch of her beautiful body and giving her as much pleasure as he could. He’d make sure that she would not forget him when she was away with an endless parade of French men lining up to fuck her. 

“Fuck you are so gorgeous.” He breathed into her ear as he trailed kisses along her neck. “Will you stay with me?” She eagerly nodded yes and he took her hand and lead her to his bedroom.

\---

The morning was tough - she ached in the most delicious way. He had made her come so many time she had lost count and the night was a blur of lips, moans, caresses and bodies slamming together in pleasure. They were like a couple of insatiable addicts, unable to stop reaching for each other. 

With only a few hours to spare before she needed to leave for the airport, she had finally made it out of the bedroom for a quick shower and then wrapped only in a towel she met him in the living room. He held her arm and pulled her down onto the couch but instead of sitting down next to her he kneeled in front of her and with a hand on each knee, and a smile on his face, pushed her legs wide apart. 

“I really should go – oh. oh!”

His mouth hummed as he explored her tender flesh, his lips sucked while his tongue teased and lapped, driving her insane, begging for more with her hands gripping the edge of the sofa cushions. 

“God, I cannot get enough of you. Please Juggie I need you inside me again.” she pleaded. She lifted his head from between her legs and looked into his dark eyes – “please” she pleaded. 

He understood her need and pulled himself up onto the couch and pulled her on top of him so that she was straddling him and seconds later riding his cock. The pace was slow and gentle, she wanted to make the sensation last and memorize every detail of how he filled her and reached places deep inside her no one had ever touched. She wanted to remember the feel of his rough hands on her now extremely tender nipples, sore from a whole night of attention from his mouth, tongue and fingers. 

She wanted to remember his voice moaning ‘oh baby, you feel so good’, as they moved together and most especially she wanted to remember his mouth on hers – the perfect kisses that started off gentle and teasing but deepened with hunger as the pace quickened and they both cried out again with intense pleasure. 

His arms wrapped tightly around her, holding her close as they both took a moment to catch their breath. She reminded herself that they had agreed on a meaningless one night stand to stop her heart from betraying her and to prevent the tears from flowing as she buried her face in his shoulder and breathed in his unique smell for a few last seconds. 

Seriously running short on time now, she reluctantly removed herself from his lap and picked up her top and skirt where they still lay on the floor by the door and put them back on while he pulled his sweatpants up over his hips. 

They stood awkwardly facing each other like two people at the end of a first date, barely able to make eye contact - ironic considering everything they had just shared. 

“Thanks for a great night Juggie.” she kissed him quickly on the cheek not trusting herself to stop if she did any more. 

“See you around Betts.” She got in her car and managed to get to the end of the road before she broke down into tears.

Back in the trailer he was standing with his head against the door that he had just closed behind her. He had wanted leave his impression on her but he now knew he was the one who was fucked - how could anything and anyone ever compare to her?


	6. six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A madness most discreet.
> 
>    
> Betty is home after a year away – what changes will she find in Riverdale?

The next twelve months were filled with amazing experiences for Betty, she immersed herself in the culture, food, art, history and yes, even a few men in her newly adopted country. She appreciated their sophisticated ways and elegant manners but she never came close to giving away her heart. On some level she was aware that she was always comparing them to him, and that no one came close to measuring up. 

A month after her return she was feeling very happy to be settled back home in Riverdale - she was extremely lucky to land a position teaching French Literature at Riverdale Academy, an engagement seemed to be eminent for Veronica and Archie so she wanted to be around for what was likely to be the wedding of the century, she and Cheryl found a sweet little apartment to share and had moved in together a few weeks ago. 

She could tell that things had changed around the town, for the better. A few new industries had popped up including tourism because of a current New York Times bestseller that was set in a town called “Brook Valley” - it was rumoured that Riverdale was the real-life inspiration for the fictional novel. Pop's was so busy with tourists that Pop had to add extra staff, the Twillight was packed and Air BnBs were booked solid. 

The prosperity had crossed the tracks to the Southside where reports of less crime and gang activity impressed her. Of course, her father wanted to take credit for the shift – he claimed that he had “managed to get those snakes under control but there are still a few that I would like to squash”. 

It was inevitable that they would end up back at the Wyrm one Friday night. It was still the only bar in Riverdale, but like the Southside its reputation had improved a bit over the past year. She didn’t even know if Jughead was still in town but if she did happen to see him the plan was to play it cool and to pretend that she hadn’t thought about him over and over again since their night together. 

Much like that fateful night many months ago, the three friends rolled up to the front door of the Whyte Wyrm. They found it much the same as before, but it did seem a little cleaner - the floor was a little less sticky, the lights a little brighter. It was very crowded so the girls pushed their way through what appeared to be a group of daring tourists to stand between the bar and some tables. 

Betty accidentally bumped into the man next to her and spilled some of his beer. She turned to see the sneering face of Viper staring back at her. “We’re sick of you outsiders coming here for kicks, thinking it’s fun to slum it for the night.” he sneered, “Jughead might think that the Serpents are tamed but some of us still have bite.” 

Before Betty had time to react, Jughead was standing between them. Betty was shocked to hear his name and doubly shocked to see him right in front of her. 

“Actually these are exactly the kind of people we want here but YOU need to get the fuck out Viper.” His eyes were blazing as he put the older man in his place. 

With a nothing but look from Jughead, a few guys wearing leather jackets at a table jumped up and roughly moved Viper towards the door. Jughead gestured for the girls to sit at their abruptly vacated table. 

“My apologies that you were treated with such rudeness. Can I get you ladies a drink?" he asked. 

Betty still couldn’t find her voice so Cheryl piped up, smiling sweetly, “Sure handsome, that would be lovely.” 

The girls settled in and Betty subtly checked out his nicely fitting jeans and black t shirt stretched across his broad shoulders as he leaned against the bar. He looked harder, more solid than the last time she saw him. 

He quickly returned with three vodka sodas and placed them on their table “Please enjoy your evening” he said and turned away and disappeaed quickly in the crowd. 

Veronica asked, “Isn’t that the guy that we played pool with the last time we were here?”

“And that you made out with at the drive-in and had a bad date with?” Cheryl added. 

Betty shrugged “I think so.” she mumbled and tried to act like her heart was not beating out of her chest. 

Betty was pretty quiet for most of the night, only half listening to the increasing raunchy stories that her friends were giggling over. She was still recovering from having him appear and disappear so quickly. It stung that she obviously had no effect on him - he had just treated her like any other bar patron. 

After a few drinks she excused herself from the table and headed to the washroom. On her way, she saw him talking to a woman in the hallway, a waitress she assumed – the woman was clearly putting the moves on him, stepping closer to him, putting her hand on his chest. They held their faces close together in an intimate discussion. 

Betty looked away, forcing herself not to care if he was interested in the pretty waitress or not. When she came out of the washroom, they were gone. She felt disappointment in the pit of her stomach, which she tried desperately to shake off. 

‘It’s none of my business, it was just a one-night stand over a year ago’, she thought to herself denying the twinge of jealousy for the night of pleasure that she knew the woman was about to have. 

She was making her way back to their table when she felt someone grab her arm. She realized it was Jughead pulling her back down the hallway, through a door with a stairway which she assumed lead to the offices above. 

He gently let her go as he said, “I hope I didn’t scare you, I just wanted a chance to say hi in private.” 

“Hi”, she said rather shocked to suddenly be face to face with the man who had appeared in her dreams so often over the past year. 

“You look beautiful Betty.”

“You look pretty good yourself Jughead. Black t-shirts are my kryptonite you know.” She realized she said more than she wanted to and started to play with the bracelet on her wrist, twisting it around and chattering nervously, “Hey thanks for helping us out before, my friends think you are quite the dashing hero.” 

He didn’t smile, staring at her intensely, studying her face as if looking for an answer to a question that hadn’t been asked. 

“I’ve missed you.” His confession took her by surprise. He was more confident and direct than before. Remembering the woman from a few minutes ago, she imagined all the women he has likely taken home from this bar and fucked senseless over the past year. 

“I’m sure you haven’t been lacking for company.” she responded. 

He glanced down at her lips and then up directly into her eyes. 

“I’ve been lacking your company.” He put his hand on her hip and pulled her a half step closer so she could feel the heat of his palm burning through her thin silk shirtdress. 

She understood the question now, and managed to whisper “Yes”. 

\--------

He saw her walk in and almost forgot how to breathe. 

But before he could process what his next move should be, he saw Viper being an idiot and jumped in so that her and her friends were more comfortable. He wanted them to stay so that he had a chance to gain back his composure and drink her in for as long as possible. 

He needed to see what he could safely glean from afar, to see if he could figure out the answers to the questions that he was too afraid to ask– was she back to stay or just passing through town? Did she belong to someone else? Had she thought about him like he had thought about her? As the night wore on he grew frustrated with the lack of answers. 

He thought about how bold she had been during their last night together, he thought about all the confident, worldly European men that had probably seduced her when she was away and decided to man up. He was going to go after what he had wanted so badly for so long. 

On his way over to her table, Monique cornered him and not so subtly suggested that she was available for a hook up after her shift tonight. He remembered with regret the few meaningless and passionless nights he had taken women home and how it always left him wishing it was Betty that he was touching. 

He became even more determined to talk to her, to feel something again, even if it was the soul crushing disappointment of finding out that she was in love with someone else. He managed to get away from Monique but couldn’t see her at the table with her friends. He surveyed the bar and spotted her carefully making her way between the crowded tables and made his move. He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the only place he could think of that might give them a few minutes alone to talk. 

He heard her whisper ‘Yes’. 

_________

It was way past 1am by the time they finally reached his trailer. She had to make excuses to get her friends to leave, get them home safely, then sneak out to meet Jughead who was waiting outside the apartment on his bike to take her back to the Southside. As they pulled up, the trailer looked to be in better shape that she remembered, but happily she didn’t see any signs of a women’s touch on the space. 

She was tired but filled with nervous anticipation, her stomach flipping as she stepped off the bike. She shivered in the cool night air even though he had given her his leather jacket to wear on the bike. She reluctantly took it off as she walked in the door of the trailer and placed it over the back of the couch, immediately missing his smell and the warmth and weight of the well-worn jacket on her body. 

They both suddenly felt awkward and nervous and the boldness that they had shown each other in the past had suddenly disappeared into the night. 

They sat side by side on the couch (which she recognized as the same couch that she had shamelessly straddled him on last time she was here). Where to begin? There was so much to catch up on and some questions they were afraid to ask each other. 

Recognizing her nerves he considerately offered, “We don’t have to do anything tonight Betty.” 

He placed his hand on her lower thigh and gently rubbed his thumb along the side of her knee. “Maybe it’s best if we take it slow, I’ve got a guest bedroom where you can crash and we can catch up in the morning.” 

She nodded slowly. 

He showed her down the hall, breath catching, heart pounding as he watched her move in front of him – everything he wanted was just an arms length away. She stopped in front of the door and he reached across her to turn the knob. 

“Let me know if you need anything.” 

“I don’t need anything but there is definitely something that I want.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and he immediately slid his hands around her waist. She urgently pressed her lips against his, reveling in the softness and the electricity that seems to flow through them directly to her core. 

Their mouths met over and over, lips parted and tongues softly exploring. He ran his hands over her back, holding her so tightly against him that she could barely breathe. 

Finally needing air, he broke the kiss and started to move slowly down her neck, reaching the collar of her shirt dress where he slowly undid the top buttons revealing the tops of her breasts spilling out of the black lacy cups of her bra to his heated gaze. He snuck a finger inside the cup finding a taught peak. He rubbed his finger over it a few times earning a couple of deep moans from her pushing him over the edge. 

No longer interested in taking things slow he pulled her a few more steps down the hall to his bedroom and lowered her down onto his bed pinning her hands over her head. He paused for a moment his eyes looking into hers as he asked,

“Are you sure?” 

She answered in a husky whisper. “I’m all yours tonight Jughead, all of me, take whatever you want.” She shivered with want and whimpered as she felt him grind his hips forward into her as he hungrily began to take what she had offered. 

\------------

After satiating their need for each other several times, they should have been exhausted but neither of them was ready to drift off to sleep. 

“Are you happy to be back here?” he asked with one strong arm wrapped around her shoulder. 

“Didn’t my moans earlier make that obvious?” 

“I don’t mean back in my bed” he tweaked her playfully on the nose, “I mean back in Riverdale.” 

“Yes”, she said resting her head on his chest, unconsciously drawing a heart shape over his chest with her finger. 

“You know how sometimes when you are on the right path, things fall easily into place? This feels like where I need to be right now – landing a job at Riverdale Academy, finding the apartment with Cheryl. My mom is even happily in a new relationship and is being nice for a change.” And now finding you, she thought, but did not say. “It feels like the universe is leading me here.”

'Might as well rip the band-aid off' he thought and dove right into his next question. 

“And do you have a sophisticated French boyfriend who you Skype with every night that is going to join you here now that you are all settled in?”

“Jughead!" she said, offended. “Do you think I would be here with you if I did?” 

“Ah-ha you haven’t answered my question. That's a classic avoidance technique - answering with another question.” He could attempt a joke now that he could breathe again, since it seemed like she hadn’t given her heart away. 

“No, Jughead. The answer to your question is no. And what about you?” 

“No, I don’t have a French boyfriend either.” She rolled her eyes, but smiled up at him, trying not to show her immense relief. 

He touched her cheek, keeping her eyes locked on his. “Look Betty, I want to be totally honest with you, I’m not going to bullshit you, ever. I haven’t exactly been a monk while you were gone, but I couldn’t get you out of my head. I think you did something to me that night, that week that we met. I’ve been waiting and hoping that you were going to come back, and I am not a man used to hoping for anything.” 

She slid her lips against his gently, wanting to show as well as tell him, “I wanted to come back to you. I did come back to you.” 

He pulled her on top of him and deepened the kiss running his hands down her smooth back as it arched against him. She pulled herself up on her forearms and flipped her hair over to one side as she slowly worked her way down his chest, kissing and licking, marveling in how he had become more defined over the past year and loving the warm hardness against her lips. 

When she reached her destination, she wrapped her lips around the tip and with a flick of her tongue heard him moan, his head falling back against the pillow. His hand in her hair, he guided her mouth to a speed that had him swearing within moments. 

“Fuck, yes Betty that feels incredible. Fucking incredible.” 

She loved being able to make him feel this way but he pulled her up and growled, “Ride me Betty. I need to be inside you.” 

She spread her legs and hovered over him, almost shaking with anticipation, amazed that she was able to take all of the large throbbing cock inside her. He reached down to part her lips, teasing her clit to make sure she was ready for him. She slowly guided him inside her, gasping when he suddenly thrust upward, burying himself in her velvety depths. 

“Oh god”, she moaned, loving the sensation, feeling him completely fill her. Not letting up the pressure on her clit with one hand, he lifted her hips up and down with the other coaxing her into a rhythm that had them both moaning with intense pleasure. He did not think he would ever see a more beautiful sight than her breast bouncing as she rode top of him, her cheeks red and her body slick with her efforts. 

“Ah, yessss, I love it, I love it.” she cried out as his hips rose up harder and harder to meet her, pounding into her soaking wet pussy. She finally cried out as he reached up to grab her breasts, pinching her sensitive nipples as her climax washed over her. He released into her and she collapsed, exhausted and completely happy. 

\-----------

They were both dozing wrapped together under the sheets, when the morning light began to creep into his room. As night faded into a new day, some of the realities of their situation began to seep back into Jughead’s consciousness. When he saw that she was awake, he sweetly kissed her forehead and eyelids. 

“Good morning beautiful.”

“Mmmm,” she sighed, "is it morning already? Someone hardly let me get any sleep last night.” 

“Are you complaining?”

“No complaints here,” she blushed a bit remembering a few of the uninhibited moments from the night. 

“You know,” he said seriously, “there is something we haven’t talked about yet.” 

“Yeah," she agreed, sliding away from him, making some space between their bodies on the bed, not wanting to get distracted by his touch. “I guess we need to talk about our families. Will you make me some coffee first?”

He slid into a pair of sweats and a tee shirt and offered her a plaid shirt to pull on over her dress and they made their way to the kitchen. Once they both had mugs in their hands, they sat facing each other on the couch. 

She started slowly, hesitantly. “My father, as you unfortunately know, is an intimidating figure. My parents split up and my mom moved out when I was 16. Although my mom was controlling in her own way, she just couldn’t put up with the pressure to be the perfect family anymore.”

“My father demands to be obeyed, he doesn’t negotiate, especially not with 14 year old girls,” she said remembering a particular party that she wanted desperately to attend only to be told ‘no daughter of mine will be seen at a Sweetwater River bush party’, with a slap across the face for emphasis. 

“He would keep a close watch on us, patrol cars would ‘show up’ almost everywhere both Charles and I went all through high school. It was oppressive. Charles’s way of dealing with it was to try to become as much like him as possible and he joined the force the day after he graduated.”

He listened quietly, his hand on her leg gently massaging her with his thumb as she talked about dress codes that were strictly enforced, GPAs that had to be reached and mandatory community service. 

“Especially after my mom left, it was up to me to attend all the town events to represent the family. To show up and smile and look perfect in everyone’s eyes, but knowing that it was all a façade.” 

He kissed her on the forehead, then took a deep breath before starting to share his own story. 

“I had pretty much the opposite experience. No one has been looking out for me for a very long time. My mom and sister left when I was very young so it was just me and my dad. He is not the world’s greatest father, but I think he did what he could to keep me safe, even if that meant bringing me into the folds of his organization.”

“Nothing with the Serpents was given freely, everything had to be earned and when you are a kid, earning your parent’s respect and love trumps pretty much any other legal or moral code. I’ve done some pretty bad things Betty but they were done for survival and I know that I don’t have to do them anymore.”

“What do you think is going to happen when your dad gets out of prison?” she asked gently, her fingers winding together with his as she put her mug down and took his hand.

“I don’t know and I don’t care. I think the Serpent way of life is over for now and I’ve got a plan to keep moving forward with my own life. I was always really good at school you know, when I was able to make it to class I always did really well and managed to graduate with honors. I’ve taken a couple of correspondence courses every year so I’m almost halfway to my degree.” 

“Oh, Jughead that’s wonderful. I’m so proud of you,” she said bringing his hand up to her mouth to cover it in kisses. 

Moving a little closer to her on the couch he said, “You were able to look at me without pity or judgment. Although our backgrounds are so very different, you could understand how circumstances beyond one’s control do not define who you are.” 

“And appearances are not always what they seem.” she added as her mouth moved towards his and claimed his lips in a kiss that started gently but soon became heated with want as they tried to express the connection, the feelings that they had just shared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My ever-loving thanks for your hits, kudos and comments!


	7. Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Borrow Cupid's wings and soar with them above a common bound."
> 
> Some fluff – they deserve it. (and so do you)

The plan was to get her home so she could sneak back into her room before Cheryl noticed she was missing. It was still early enough that there were not many signs of life in her neighbourhood as they stood on the curb next to his parked bike and he leaned in for a searing good-bye kiss. 

His hands in her hair and his mouth on her sensitive lips were once again taking her to heaven - until suddenly she heard something that brought her abruptly back to earth and made them both step back from each other with surprise. 

“Get in here you filthy slut.”

They both looked towards her building to see Cheryl standing by the open door to the apartment with a devilish grin on her face. 

Betty groaned and replied, “I’ll be there in a second Cheryl.” 

“I was talking to Jughead.” Cheryl deadpanned and stepped back inside.

She turned back to look at him, and was relieved to see a big smile on his face.

“Looks like we’re busted. I guess we’d better go in.” 

“Are you sure? You don’t have to – I can’t promise that she won’t ask some inappropriate questions.” 

“I’ve probably spent more time in the police interrogation room than anyone else in this town, I’m sure I can handle a few questions from Cheryl.” he reassured her, taking her hand and walking up the walkway to the door. 

As they entered the front door to the apartment Betty gave her friend a quick wide-eyed plea to beg her to behave. 

“Cheryl – can we keep this between us for now, we’re not really ready to …” Betty didn’t even finish her sentence before her phone exploded with texts from Veronica and Kevin. 

Get it girl!!   
Whoot!  
He’s so hot.   
Need filthy details.   
Pop’s in 20 minutes.   
Bring the boy.  
Heart eyes emojis from Veronica  
Eggplant emojis from Kevin

“Cheryl!! Did you text Kevin and Veronica already? Oh my god.” Betty closed her eyes and covered her face with her palm. 

Betty was happy to discover that a person couldn’t actually die of embarrassment and was even happier when Jughead agreed that he would come with them to Pop’s. 

The diner was already packed when they arrived and there was even a small line up outside. Cheryl, Betty and Jughead joined Kevin, Veronica and Archie who were in a booth near the back.

“It’s getting so hard to get a table here on weekends – this book seems to be bringing more and more people into town. It’s a pop cultural phenomenon! Have you had a chance to read it yet Betty?” Kevin asked. 

When Betty shook her head Veronica offered her opinion “Betty you must read it immediately. It’s funny, edgy, biting – a total takedown of small town life from an outsider’s point of view – a real Roman a clef – the names are changed but it is so obviously Riverdale.” 

“What rumours are you guys hearing about who wrote it?” Jughead asked. 

“Nobody knows – the author’s identity is the best kept secret since Gossip Girl. It. Could. Literally. Be. Anyone.” Kevin dramatically replied. 

The waitress appeared to take their orders and the topic of conversation changed when Archie started asking Jughead questions about his bike. The friends graciously included Jughead in the conversation throughout breakfast and Betty was grateful that no one asked any embarrassing questions. 

Once they had finished eating Jughead got up and excused himself. 

“Well it’s been nice but I’m sure you guys want to talk about me so I’ll leave you to it.”

There was a half-hearted chorus of ‘no’ ‘of course not’ and ‘noooo’ that no one believed for a second. Everyone said their goodbyes and Betty left her friends for a few moments to walk Jughead to his bike in the parking lot. 

“You’re a good sport for coming this morning Jug. Thank you.” 

“Thank you for.. well everything Betty – for an amazing night, for being you.” She looked at him and felt the heat spreading across her chest – she was in deep with this handsome, sweet, dark haired man. 

Jughead suddenly looked very serious. “Betty there’s something else I’ve been wanting to tell you.” 

‘Oh great, here we go’ she thought – the other shoe was about to drop. She knew she was too happy- that something bad was bound to happen. 

“You have to promise me that you won’t tell anyone ok?” 

She nodded nervously. 

“I wrote the book.” 

She stared at him blankly, the shock causing her to have no reaction. 

“Did you hear what I said?” 

“You? You wrote it!? Shut up!! How? What? Oh my god! How?” She was laughing and covering her mouth – unable to contain her delight at this unexpected piece of news. 

He was enjoying her reaction but was worried that she was going to start shouting it across the parking lot. She was the only person that knew, except for the professor that had coached and encouraged him. 

“I started it as an assignment for one of my creative writing credits. I needed a distraction when you left so I sat for days and days in Pop’s with my laptop and vented all of my anger and frustration. My prof encouraged me to finish it and submit it to a publisher that she knew. By some miracle they accepted it and after a lot of editing and polishing they decided to publish it.”

“Wow Jughead! Congratulations! This is amazing.” She was still reeling from the news. “But why didn’t you want your name on it?”

“I didn’t think anyone would care what I had to say and the marketing department liked the angle of the mystery author so we decided to publish under a fake name. I’ve also had to keep a few investments that I’ve made with the royalties under wraps.” His hands on her hips pulled her a little closer, “You have to keep this a secret too Betts.”

She nodded, lost in his blue eyes that were aglow with pride. 

“I’m partners with Pop – he needed new equipment and staff to help grow and handle all the new business. He probably suspects, but I didn’t exactly tell him where the money was from.”

He paused for a moment and then continued “And I bought the Twilight.”

“Come on!! You’ve got to be kidding me!” She put her hands on his chest to grab the edges of his jacket and shook him a little. 

“I told you last night I wouldn’t bullshit you Betty. I’ve got big plans to restore it and bring it back to life.” 

“You’re an enigma, Jones,” she said bringing her forehead to rest gently against his. “I’m so happy for you.” 

He smiled before he kissed her softly then wrapped her in his arms. She was honoured that he trusted her with his secrets, and excited that he shared his plans for the future with her and only her. She wanted to be part of his future so badly that for a few blissful moments she forgot about everything and everyone else as she rested peacefully in the warmth of his embrace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for reading - we're going to head back into some smut and angst for the next chapter. Comments and kudos are so appreciated!


	8. Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “These violent delights have violent ends.”

As the weeks went on their bliss continued. In private they couldn’t keep their hands off each other but in public they were careful to keep a low profile, not wanting to bring attention to their growing relationship until she felt the time was right to tell her family. He would eventually have to tell his father too. There would be consequences and neither of them were quite ready for that.

 

On this particular night they were at the Whyte Wyrm. They were having a drink at the bar sitting next to each other careful not to let their body language reveal anything.

 

It was painful to be so close to him and not be able to touch him. She wanted his hands on her at all times, even if it was just his relaxed hand resting on her thigh, or fingers brushing tucking a stray hair behind her ear.

 

He was staring at her with a goofy smile on his face, lost in a memory of another night at this place “So this is where it all started, remember?” he asked.

 

“Like I would ever forget you turning my world upside down with your smoking hot bod and mad pool skills.”

 

“I fell for you hard that night – I wanted to take you out back and see what was under that little jean skirt so badly.”

 

“Well why don’t you then?” She raised an eyebrow suggestively, looking towards the back entrance door. She downed her drink, got up and nonchalantly headed towards the exit, knowing that he would follow her.

 

He followed a minute later and luckily found the back alley empty except for her leaning against the brick wall, waiting for him. The alley was dark, but dimly lit enough that he could make out her look of longing as he held her face in his hands and kissed her, the lips that he now knew so well, pressing forcefully against his and then opening to let his tongue explore further.

 

His hands dipped down to undo the top buttons of her blouse and with his mouth began to work his way along her neck kissing, sucking and biting his way down. Her open blouse revealed what he recognized as one of her front opening bras and he deftly released the clip exposing her breasts to the cool night air. His mouth closed over her nipple, sucking and teasing with his talented tongue while his hand squeezed the other breast. He turned his attention to the other breast and the combination of his hot mouth on her and the fresh air made her shiver with sensation and anticipation.

 

“Please,” she said, running her fingers through his hair roughly, “I need you.”

 

He lifted her against the wall and she wrapped her legs around his waist, his hardness adding additional pressure just where she needed it most and she ground against him. He raised her skirt and found that she had already removed her underwear while she was waiting for him to join her in the alley. He lifted one of her legs higher to spread her open for him and felt her hot and wet centre against his hand as he reached down to his zipper and release the hard cock that was straining against the front of his jeans.

 

“Now, Jug please.” she pleaded against his ear as her arms went around his neck to hold on for what she hoped was going to be a wild ride. He found her entrance, and moaned loudly relishing every inch as he dipped deeper inside her. They found their rhythm, and he slammed against her over and over again loving the sound of her shallow quick breaths as she approached the edge.

 

She moaned yes, yes, ohhhhh god yes each time he pounded into her and he soon felt her tighten and release and moments later he came hard into her, his whole body shuddering with pleasure. He released her trembling legs back down to the ground and pressed their foreheads together as they caught their breath and he helped her do up her bra and blouse, not ready to break contact quite yet.

 

“Damn babe,” she said, her voice husky with want. “How long until we can go home? I have so many things I want to do to you.” He didn’t reply, he just grabbed her hand and headed to the parking lot.

 

Unbeknownst to them, just at the moment of peak pleasure, Viper happened to be passing by the alley. He had a full view of Betty’s legs wrapped around Jughead’s waist and heard the quiet moans. His lips moved up to form a cruel smile.

 

_______  


The next day Viper found Officer Charles Cooper in his cruiser, setting up one of his speed traps, just behind the ‘ _Welcome to Riverdale_ ’ sign.

 

He took sick pleasure in the flash of anger and horror that flashed across the young man’s face when he said,

“Hey Officer Know-it-all, here’s something I bet you didn’t know. Your slut sister is fucking a Serpent.”

_______

 

Jughead heard a loud pounding on the front door of the trailer. When he opened the door he was surprised to see a red faced and clearly agitated Charles Cooper standing on his steps.

 

“Jones you fucking piece of shit. You stay away from my sister.”

 

Jughead’s temper instantly flared up but he controlled himself, for Betty’s sake.

 

With a steady voice, he replied. “I’m sorry, I can’t do that. Do you want to come in so we can talk?”

 

Charles ignored the offer and rose up taller and placed his hand on his hip, drawing attention to the gun on his belt. “You and I both know that you’re not good enough for her. She deserves someone who is not going to be in jail very soon.”

 

“Believe me, I have no intention of doing anything that’s going to land me in jail. Everything I am doing now is above board. Your sister makes me want to be a better person, surely you can understand that?”

 

Charles laughed sarcastically. “That bullshit may work with Betty, but I know what you’re capable of, what you’ve done. We’ve had a peaceful couple of years with the Serpents but I promise you that’s over now. Every time you cross the street I’m going to hear about it. I’m going to spend every waking minute working on bringing you down. Whether you are involved or not, I’m going to make something stick to you Jones.”

 

Jughead’s heart was beating with fear but he managed to keep his composure as he shrugged and said,

 

“Bring it on. She’s worth it.”

 

As he turned and walked back down the shabby stairs towards his cruiser, Charles realized that he had taken the wrong approach, had talked to the wrong person. It was his sister who had the huge heart, who would do anything for the people she cared about. And if she cared about this piece of scum at all, he knew exactly what to say to keep her away from him forever.

 

She wouldn’t be able to bear the idea that Jughead would be in misery because of her – and he will promise misery, a shitstorm of misery, especially once their father found out. He climbed into the squad car, flipped on the siren and tore down the road toward the school where Betty was at work.

 

Back inside the trailer, Jughead was trying to get his heart rate back to normal and willing his hands to stop shaking. Once he could think clearly again Jughead froze and gasped, coming to the same realization as Charles - he HAD to talk to her before her brother did.

 

She didn’t answer any of his desperate texts or calls so he hopped on his bike to drive to school to try to catch her right after her last class. He saw her car in the parking lot as he pulled in and he felt a glimmer of hope. Inside the school he saw one of her colleagues and asked where she was. Her reply made his heart sink.

 

“I just saw her leave with her brother, something about a family emergency.”

 

He headed home to wait for the inevitable and prepared for a long night of assuring her that he could deal with whatever her brother had threatened, as long as he had her.

 

Exhausted with worry, he eventually fell asleep on the couch, his phone filled with countless unanswered texts still in his hand.

 

She didn’t show up that night and when he woke up after a few short hours of fitful sleep, he saw a single text from her – just four little words that broke his heart into a million little pieces.

 

It’s over. I’m sorry.

 

In one of their late night talks while they cuddled together in his bed, he had shared that his greatest fear was people disappearing out of his life. He found his mom and sister gone when he came home from school on day. His dad was taken away and locked up with no warning. She knew that disappearing with no goodbye and no explanation would cause maximum harm. And she was right.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just one more chapter to go - thanks so much for reading!


	9. Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What must be shall be.”

Jughead spent the next two weeks going out of his mind. He couldn’t reach her on her phone – he assumed he had been blocked. He talked to all her friends, begging them for information but all of them claimed they had no idea where she had gone. He cornered a teacher from her school who told him that she had taken a leave of absence. 

His visit to the police station was desperate and explosive – Charles claimed he was working on a restraining order against him. “She is gone but if you go near her apartment, her school or friends again, it will give me the greatest pleasure to lock you up.” 

Despondent and out of ideas on how to find her, he ended up at the Wyrm one night planning to drink his way out of his misery. He was slumped over the bar, working on his first drink when Veronica and Archie suddenly appeared at his side. 

Veronica said “Look Jughead, I don’t know everything that happened but I’ve never seen her so destroyed in my life. She will be furious with me for coming here but I’m actually worried for her.” 

“Wait, you’ve seen her? You’ve known where she is this whole time?” He was angry but managed to push it away - the woman standing in front of him held the one piece of information that he would kill or die for. 

“Please, please Veronica tell me where she is. I love her so much - I don’t think I can live without her.” he nearly begged. 

“She’s at my family’s house in Manhattan,” Veronica handed him a small piece of paper with the address on it. “She’s planning to go back to France but I think she needs to talk to you first.”

He grabbed Veronica and kissed her on the cheek. Overcome, he grabbed Archie and hugged him too. 

Archie patted him hard on the back, “Don’t make us regret this man.”

“Thank you, thank you!” he yelled over his shoulder as he ran out to his bike. 

He drove like a demon, not stopping for anything except gas he made it to the island by dawn. It took him another hour or so to find the address and by this time the city was starting to come to life. He was stiff, exhausted and freezing but he didn’t care, his only thought was of finding her - adrenaline and the first bit of hope he had felt in weeks driving him on. He double checked the paper that Veronica had given him, even though he had memorized the address on it like his life depended on it, because in a way, it did. 

He pressed the shiny brass button to ring the bell at the brownstone and held his breath. He waited for what felt like an eternity then rang again and his heart sank when there was no answer. She wasn't there? Was this some kind of cruel joke that her friends were playing on him? Did her brother find out he was on his way and warn her? He sat down on the step and pulled his fingers through his tousled dark hair, not sure of what to do next. 

“Jughead?” 

He heard her voice and looked up. 

She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She put down the coffee cup she was holding in her hand - she was afraid she was going to drop it as her body seemed to have lost the ability to function properly. Was he really sitting on the step in front of her? She missed him so much that she thought perhaps her loneliness had made her brain snap and had created the beautiful hallucination before her. 

She had seen him everywhere. The few times that she had managed to pull herself together enough to leave the Lodges’ luxurious house, she saw his dark hair in the park, or his leather jacket across the street, but it was never him and she was not completely sure it was him sitting in front of her now. 

Leaving him was the single hardest thing she had ever done in her life, but she loved him enough to want him to have a chance at the great life she knew he deserved, a life without constant threats and fear of incarceration. 

She knew what her family was capable of and her brother had made it clear that as long as they were together there would be no peace for Jughead in Riverdale. He had exciting plans for his future in his hometown that he should be able to enjoy. This sweet, smart wonderful man in front of her deserved that even if it meant she could not be a part of his life and that she would bleed for him forever. 

“Are you real?” she asked, looking for confirmation that he was not a trick of her mind. 

“Yes,” he looked at her with his clear blue eyes that warmed her all the way to her toes. “Can we talk Betty, please?” She hesitantly said yes but doubled down on her resolve to stay strong, to convince him that she didn’t want him and send him on his way, out of her life forever. With shaking hands she picked up her coffee and walked past him to open the door. 

He stood and waited nervously as she fumbled with the keys. He had never been so anxious to pull her into his arms – if he could just touch her, he could make her understand. 

She opened the door and he reached for her as he walked through the frame but she stepped away from him, crossed her arms in front of her chest and headed down the long hallway to the kitchen where she leaned up against the counter. He closed the front door and followed her. 

He was looking at her, her face and eyes turning red as she fought back tears. She didn’t make eye contact when she quietly said,

“I’m sorry Jughead but we’ve got to end this. Trust me, it’s better for you, for both of us if we walk away now.” 

He didn’t want to hear another word of her feeble attempts to push him away. He knew exactly what he wanted to say – he had been going over and over it in his head ever since the night she disappeared. 

“I know what’s going on babe. Your brother found out about us. He paid me a visit too. He made some threats but I’m not backing down.” 

He scraped his fingers violently through his hair. “I’ve been fighting against guys like him my whole sad, sorry life and I’m not stopping now, now that I actually have something worth fighting for.” 

Placing his hands on her arms, he continued, “We’re not doing anything wrong, we’re two adults with the free will to exist outside of our families. We’re not hurting anyone.”

He took a deep breath, “I’m not giving up on us. Never, ever giving up, unless it is our decision, not because of someone else’s threats.” 

He moved his hands up to her face where her sorrowful green eyes finally met his determined blue ones. “I love you Betty Cooper. I love you and I’ll fight for us and I want to hear you say you’ll fight for us too, no matter what.” 

There was a pause and Jughead held his breath. He knew that what she said next would either destroy him or relieve so much of his pain. 

“Yes,” she whispered, not able to hide what was in her heart anymore. 

“I belong to you completely - body, heart and soul – it’s all yours. I love you Jughead Jones.” 

Overcome with emotion, he ducked his head down and buried his face against her shoulder. 

The lonely little boy with no mother, the angry teenager, the rebellious delinquent can’t believe that someone so beautiful inside and out could possibly want to give herself to him. 

A small sob escaped his mouth. 

“Babe?” she said with concern, lifting his head to see tears in his eyes. 

He took a moment to get his emotions in check, roughly wiping his eyes. 

“No one has ever said anything so beautiful to me. I promise to worship every inch of your body and cherish your heart and soul until my last breath.” 

To her ears, his words sound like a vow and she smiled as she brought their lips together and she caught a glimpse of what their future together might hold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We’ll that’s it for Defy the Stars! I wrapped it up with more of a beginning than an end but hopefully this way all the possibilities are open for the future for Bughead. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it and thanks so much for reading – special thanks to Jiffermac, InAFlash18 and notanotherotherone for being loyal commenters the whole way along. 
> 
> It was really fun to post my first fic here for you, even though with each chapter, I nervously waited for you guys to figure out that I suck at this. Here’s to trying new things that scare you a little, right? 
> 
> I’m writing an FP fic next so if you’re into FP Jones II – please watch out for it. 
> 
> xo, B


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